Archived Story

Hackneyville community to share history, tall tales

Storytelling has a long and rich history, and it’s a tradition Hackneyville will continue Saturday with its fourth annual Tall Tales and True Stories of Hackneyville event.

“It’s mainly a gathering of interested local people who share stories about the community,” said Kathy Brown, secretary of the Hackneyville Community Club, which sponsors the event. “It’s really just a time of reminiscing about our community.”

The community event starts with a potluck meal, after which attendees share stories of the families, the businesses and the school of Hackneyville’s past.

“It’s a coming home, reunion type event,” said Hackneyville-native Betty Hamilton. “They can find out all kinds of past history of this community. It was once a very lively, bustling little village.”

Tall Tales and True Stories will be held at the Hackneyville Community Center, 9461 Highway 63 North. The potluck will begin at 5 p.m., and the stories will begin at 6 p.m.

“The first two years we had a panel,” Brown said. “Last year we had a smaller group. It was very informal. We just shared from where we were in the audience. It was really interesting – the things that were said would remind people of something similar or trigger a thought.”

Brown said she hopes to have 40-50 people attend the event. They are planning to have Roy Mathis as the master of ceremonies.

“I ‘d just hate for the history of the community to be lost,” Brown said. “And there are a lot of other people who are interested.”

Hamilton said she enjoys attending and seeing her friends and neighbors, new and old.

“I usually go to listen,” Hamilton said. “I went away to school and was gone for a lot of years and then moved back. I feel like a newcomer, coming back home. Hackneyville is still a busy place, even though it’s small and under the radar.”

For more information about Tall Tales and True Stories of Hackneyville, call Brown at 256-329-9609. The event is free and open to anyone who wants to attend.